Rumors

Over the past eight years, we’ve had eight different champions, and we haven’t had back-to-back finalists in about that same amount of time since the Golden State Warriors played in back-to-back Finals in 2018 and 2019. And so James, what are you seeing from that competitive aspect that you like? You’ve been in this league a long time, first as a player and then as a general manager that tried to get a team to the Finals. What are you seeing out there today? James Jones: I’m seeing a level of excitement in the player base, honestly. The greatest feeling you can have as a player going into a season is knowing you legitimately have a shot to win a championship. If you ask the best players as this talent pool continues to expand globally – we’re bringing in the best of the world – those guys are driven by extreme success and they want to win. They want to win championships. Eight champions in eight years is a testament to how difficult it is to repeat. And I actually think for those teams that do repeat or that do make it multiple years, it should really send a signal to everyone else just how good those teams are. We’ve never wanted to create a system where it was easy to win. I mean, if that’s the case, then the championship really doesn’t hold meaning. Now it does. You know that if a team runs it back, they’re pretty special and that happens across a bunch of different functions.

NBA.com

Q: Over the past eight years, we’ve had eight different champions, and we haven’t had back-to-back finalists in about that same amount of time since the Golden State Warriors played in back-to-back Finals in 2018 and 2019. And so James, what are you seeing from that competitive aspect that you like? You’ve been in this league a long time, first as a player and then as a general manager that tried to get a team to the Finals. What are you seeing out there today? James Jones: I’m seeing a level of excitement in the player base, honestly. The greatest feeling you can have as a player going into a season is knowing you legitimately have a shot to win a championship. If you ask the best players as this talent pool continues to expand globally – we’re bringing in the best of the world – those guys are driven by extreme success and they want to win.  They want to win championships. Eight champions in eight years is a testament to how difficult it is to repeat. And I actually think for those teams that do repeat or that do make it multiple years, it should really send a signal to everyone else just how good those teams are. We’ve never wanted to create a system where it was easy to win.

NBA.com

NBA Courtside: Matthew Dellavedova tells a story about having to go to the hospital after guarding Steph Curry in game 3 of the 2015 finals: “I mean, obviously it’s like an impossible task chasing Steph around. He never gets tired. Bogut and Draymond and David Lee are trying to kill me on screens. Bogut is my assistant coach now on Sydney. I just remember coming to timeouts and Mike Miller, James Jones are just like grabbing me by the shoulder saying, “You got to get every loose ball.” And I’m head’s like wobbling around…. So I get in the locker room, they do the talk, but I start cramping. Steve and UK take me back there. They like cut my tights. They’re trying to rub ice. My quads are cramping. My hamstrings are cramping. So you can’t stretch one or the other. I’m just in a world of hurt. Then they like carry me and put me in the ice bath up to like here and I’m just sitting there and slowly the cramps kind of go away. And then we only had 1 day between the games. And so I think Steve and the doctor were like, “Yeah, your best shot at getting ready for the next game is going to the hospital and just getting an IV overnight.” (Via @Rjeff24)

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To clarify: The NBA will review Victor Wembanyama’s flagrant-2 foul tomorrow. It is standard operating procedure for all flagrant fouls. League discipline czar James Jones has discretion on whether more punishment (fine or suspension) is warranted.

Twitter

NBA Communications: Boston Celtics guard-forward Jaylen Brown has been fined $50,000 for public criticism of the officiating, it was announced today by James Jones, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations. Brown made his comments on a livestream on May 3 following the Celtics' 109-100 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 7 of their first-round playoff series on May 2 at TD Garden.

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NBA Communications: New York Knicks center-forward Mitchell Robinson has been fined $50,000 and Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels has been fined $25,000 for their roles in an on-court altercation, it was announced today by James Jones, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations. With 4:39 remaining in the second quarter of the Knicks' 140-89 victory over the Hawks in Game 6 of their first-round playoff series on April 30 at State Farm Arena, Robinson and Daniels became entangled while battling for position during a free throw attempt. Both players escalated the altercation with Robinson continuing to aggressively pursue Daniels after the players had been separated. The altercation resulted in both players being assessed technical fouls and ejected.

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NBA Communications: Los Angeles Lakers guard Marcus Smart has been fined $35,000 for questioning the integrity of game officials and Lakers guard Luke Kennard has been fined $25,000 for directing inappropriate language toward game officials, it was announced today by James Jones, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations. The incidents occurred following the conclusion of the Houston Rockets' 115-96 victory over the Lakers in Game 4 of their first-round playoff series on April 26 at Toyota Center.

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NBA Communications: Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker has been fined $35,000 for public criticism of the officiating, it was announced today by James Jones, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations. Following an investigation including multiple interviews and video review, the league found no basis to any claim of bias or misconduct by game officials. Booker made his comments to the press following the Suns' 120-107 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series on April 22 at Paycom Center. The NBA also determined that Booker's technical foul at 2:05 in the third quarter was improperly assessed and it has therefore been rescinded.

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NBA Communications: Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball has been fined $35,000 and assessed a Flagrant Foul 2 upon league office review for making unnecessary and reckless contact with Miami Heat center-forward Bam Adebayo that created a significant injury risk, it was announced today by James Jones, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations. The incident occurred with 11:13 remaining in the second quarter of the Hornets' 127-126 overtime win over the Heat on April 14 in the SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament. Ball has been fined an additional $25,000 for using profane language during a live postgame television interview.

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NBA Communications: Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Dončić has been suspended one game without pay for receiving his 16th technical foul of the 2025-26 season, it was announced today by James Jones, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations. Under NBA rules, a player or coach is automatically suspended without pay for one game once he receives his 16th technical foul during a regular season. For every two additional technical fouls received during that regular season, the player or coach will be automatically suspended without pay for an additional game. Dončić received his most recent technical foul with 5:12 remaining in the third quarter of the Lakers' 116-99 win over the Brooklyn Nets on March 27 at Crypto.com Arena. Dončić will serve his suspension March 30 when the Lakers host the Washington Wizards.

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When Ishbia decided to promote Gregory to the GM role, putting an NBA neophyte in the position that had been held by former player (and three-time champion) James Jones since 2018 (including the Suns’ 2021 Finals run), his longtime friend and former coach gave a blunt assessment of how he thought the unconventional move would be received. “He was like, ‘You’re gonna get blasted for this,’” said Ishbia, who is based in Detroit and attends approximately half of the Suns’ games. “And I said, ‘F— it. We’re gonna do what the right thing is.’ I got blasted when I did everything everyone wanted me to do. Give them the money, make all these big splashy trades, do all these nice things — and I got blasted for that. So if I’m gonna get blasted, I’m going to get blasted with what I believe. And what I believe is that you are the best guy for this job.”

New York Times

NBA Communications: Atlanta Hawks forward Mouhamed Gueye and Minnesota Timberwolves center-forward Naz Reid have each been fined $35,000 for their roles in an on- court altercation, it was announced today by James Jones, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations. With 11:52 remaining in the fourth quarter of the Timberwolves' 138-116 victory over the Hawks on Feb. 9 at Target Center, Gueye committed a defensive foul on Reid by pushing Reid from behind. Following that action, Reid approached Gueye, and both players subsequently grabbed each other's jerseys in an aggressive manner. Both players were assessed technical fouls and ejected from the game.

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NBA Communications: BULLS' SEXTON FINED NEW YORK, Feb. 10, 2026 - Chicago Bulls guard Collin Sexton has been fined $35,000 for making an inappropriate gesture on the playing court, it was announced today by James Jones, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations. The incident occurred with 1:31 remaining in the third quarter of the Bulls' 123-115 loss to the Brooklyn Nets on Feb. 9 at Barclays Center.

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NBA Communications: Boston Celtics guard-forward Jaylen Brown has been fined $35,000 for public criticism of the officiating, it was announced today by James Jones, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations. Brown made his comments to the press and on social media following the Celtics 100-95 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Jan. 10 at TD Garden.

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